#52: Wreck-It Ralph (2012) 🕹️ #DisneyVaultChallenge

“I’m bad, and that’s good! I will never be good, and that’s not bad! There's no one I'd rather be than me.” - Wreck-It Ralph

Initial thoughts before viewing: I *think* I saw this in theaters, but I never had strong feelings about this movie either way.

If you'd like to read a recap of Wreck-It Ralph, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the entire plot summary.

Highlights:

-I'm dying to visit Sugar Rush IRL. Did anyone else just think that this deliciously rendered video game land was SO COOL? I could see Disney making a very successful real life version of this land in one of their theme parks (sort of like Cars Land at Disney California Adventure).

-A Stellar Voice Cast. John C. Reilly, Jane Lynch, Jack McBrayer! These actors are cast perfectly and set up Wreck-It Ralph for success character-wise amongst a very lively (and sometime distracting) video game setting.

-A Highly Original Concept. Fizzy, colorful and intricately plotted, this pop meta-fiction work is a creative love letter to vintage arcade games and the video game genre as a whole.

Disliked:

-Vanellope is sort of a brat. Look, I get it - she got a crap deal with King Candy taking over and (*SPOILER ALERT*) stealing her crown. She's the pariah of Sugar Rush, the target of bullying, etc etc. But I can't help but agree with what King Candy tells Ralph - that Vanellope's glitchy existence puts the entire game at risk of being unplugged. Vanellope doesn't care about this potential consequence though - she is selfishly determined to race because, well, SHE WANTS TO DANG IT. Aside from her selfish motivations, I find her character to be annoying, kinda mean, and incredibly short-sighted. Vanellope is a little too much at times, particularly with her sarcasm and backtalk. Not a favorite of mine.

-Sergeant Calhoun may not be so dynamite of a gal. While I think the addition of her character is overall a step in the right direction, I found a few serious issues with this character, beginning with her constant use of the word "lady" as a negative. She constantly gives her soldiers a 'pep talk’ by referring to them as “ladies” as an insult. Calhoun’s use of lady as a negative further implies that being a lady or a woman is bad, specifically weak or cowardly (ironic because Calhoun herself is a “lady” and is both strong and brave). Even the kid who is playing the "Hero's Duty" game is a girl, so why the need to put the word 'lady’ with negative connotations? Puzzling.

Calhoun appearance is also grossly sexualized compared to her male counterparts. She is animated with a tiny waist and huge breasts, a sad representation of how the gaming industry caters to male audiences. Disney had an opportunity to make Sergeant Calhoun something different than the norm here, and they failed.

It also bothers me that Calhoun is the only female soldier in her own video game, "Hero's Duty." Calhoun is a incredibly capable and strong soldier, why is it hard to believe that there could be more women like her in the team? "Hero’s Duty" could of easily been co-ed and showcased women soldiers, but instead it pinned Calhoun as the lone wolf in regards to female representation.

Closing Thoughts:

Wreck-It Ralph is a movie that I find often surprises people when they watch it for the first time. It has a lot of heart and and laughs, and has the impressive ability to hold your attention for the entire 1 hour 48 min runtime (yikes).

For a movie that feels very fresh in so many ways, the major disappointment here is that the two female characters of the film hardly wreck-it.

The bottom line: Wreck-It Ralph is creative and clever without being too full of itself. It is both a light-hearted romp and a serious examination of what it means to be a hero, but Disney needs to be more thoughtful in its portrayal of women on screen.

My Rating: 6/10